In South Korea, if two stars might possibly be dating it’s called a “scandal” and mega-stars Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin, who co-starred in the 2018 film The Negotiation, were recently involved in one.

Sometimes such rumors start when stars make similar posts on Instagram or because the stars have been reported in the proximity of each other. They may have demonstrated romantic chemistry in a film or drama project or have simply said they enjoyed working together.

Sometimes the rumors are true and the stars own up to dating. There have been at least a dozen Korean star couples who met on set. Some even marry. Other times the rumors are wishful thinking.

Unlike the U.S., where actors don’t seem too concerned if people know they are dating, Korea’s star relationships tend to have a greater effect on the popularity of the actors involved, either boosting their box office draw or hurting it. The stars might be interested in each other, but, given their very enthusiastic and vigilant fan base, prefer some privacy and date in secret. South Korean talent agencies also carefully manage a star’s public image and are often called on to issue statements regarding relationships. Sometimes agencies are caught unaware that a star is dating and have to play damage control or even retract a statement denying a relationship.

The latest “scandal” involving two Korean stars began when it was rumored that Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin met in the U.S. with her parents. The stars had seemed friendly and complimented each other when working together on The Negotiation.

In August 2018, at a press conference for the film, Son Ye Jin spoke about her working relationship with Hyun Bin. She said that his involvement in the film was a deciding factor in her taking the role of a hostage negotiator named Ha Chae Yoon.

“I was surprised when I heard that he was looking at the role. It was different from the image Hyun Bin has shown as an actor so far. I thought it was great that he was using this role to take on a bold challenge.”

Although the actors were not in many scenes together they did have a sense of camaraderie and he called her “a reassuring presence.” Son also took a series of selfies with the actor.

Selfies plus the recent rumor added up to a dating “scandal.”

Son’s agency, MSTeam Entertainment has denied the rumors, saying she is currently traveling alone and her parents are in Korea. His agency, VAST Entertainment, responded, saying that he is overseas for work.

When Son Ye Jin appeared in the 2018 romantic comedy, Something in the Rain, rumors linked her romantically with co-star Jung Hae In, who played her character’s much younger boyfriend. Caught up in dating rumors after they co-starred in that drama, Jung Hae In declared that what they filmed was a drama, not a documentary.

Hyun Bin found Son Ye Jin a reassuring presence when they worked together.

JK Films

Hyun Bin currently plays the role of a CEO gamer in the television drama Memories of Alhambra, co-starring Park Shin Hye.

Hyun Bin has dated a co-star before. He began dating Song Hye Kyo in 2008, after the couple met in the drama The Way They Live. The couple dated for three years before breaking up. Song, currently appearing in the drama Encounter, is married to actor Song Joong Ki, whom she met when filming the drama Descendants of the Sun.

The Negotiation is a 2018 crime thriller directed by Lee Jong Seok. In the film Son’s character Ha Chae Yoon works for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in the crisis negotiating team. Ha must negotiate with an arms dealer who kidnaps two people. The film’s first week in Korea sold one million tickets. It grossed $15.1 million in the U.S.